Charles Garvey, 21, who had a prior conviction for the rape of a 13-year-old girl three years ago, is believed to have shot and killed his ex-girlfriend Delaney Eary, 19, along with Melissa Parrett, 44, Shane Miller, 20, and Hayden Rybicki before turning the gun on himself, according to MailOnline.
Police in Florence, Kentucky, were called to Ridgecrest Drive around 3 AM on Saturday, July 6. They discovered the four victim’s dead at the scene and found three others critically injured in the attack.
Garvey fled the scene in his vehicle but later crashed. Officers found him with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The Parrett family was reportedly celebrating a relative’s birthday at their pool when Garvey arrived. Florence Police Chief Jeff Mallery confirmed that Garvey was known to the family and that initial investigations suggested he acted alone.
Photos posted on social media show Garvey holding various firearms, including a sniper rifle, a sidearm, and a shotgun.
Garvey was previously arrested and charged in 2021 for the rape of a 13-year-old girl, receiving a sentence of five years’ probation for an “unlawful transaction with a minor in the second degree.”
Local press reported that the victim had informed police she had been messaging Garvey on Snapchat before the incident.
At the time, Garvey, who was 18, admitted to having sex with the girl when questioned by police.
Authorities say an investigation into Saturday’s shooting is ongoing.
Chief Mallery said: “We’ve never dealt with this before. I know it’s going on throughout the nation, but this is the first time that we’ve had a mass shooting in Florence. It is very emotional. And my emotions are for the victims, their families, the officers that responded and everybody that was touched by this situation.”
